Patent Literature 1 suggests a free casting method as an innovative hoisting type continuous casting method that does not require a casting mold. As described in Patent Literature 1, after a starter is immersed in a surface of molten metal (a melt) (i.e., a molten surface), said starter is hoisted. At this time, due to a surface film and surface tension of the melt, the melt is also derived following the starter. Here, the melt is derived via a shape regulating member that is mounted in the vicinity of the molten surface and then cooled. Accordingly, a casting having a desired cross-sectional shape can continuously be casted.
In a normal continuous casting method, a longitudinal shape as well as a cross-sectional shape is regulated by the casting mold. In particular, in continuous casting method, since solidification metal (i.e., the casting) needs to pass through the casting mold, a casted article has a shape that linearly extends in a longitudinal direction.                On the contrary, the shape regulating member in the free casting method only regulates the cross-sectional shape of the casting and does not regulate the longitudinal shape thereof. In addition, since the shape regulating member can move in a parallel direction with the molten surface (i.e., a horizontal direction), castings with various longitudinal shapes can be obtained. For example, Patent Literature 1 discloses a hollow casting (i.e., a pipe) that is not formed in a linear shape in the longitudinal direction but in a zigzag shape or a helical shape.        